Feb

22

1944

George Cross following munitions factory explosion

Mrs D Cheatle from Sheffield operating a capstan lathe at a munitions factory in Yorkshire during 1942.

The War Effort: In an underground munitions factory at Liverpool, the Pressing Bay Forewoman, Mrs M Porter, gives out shell caps for pressing.

The war produced a seemingly insatiable appetite for ammunition of every type. The Ordnance factories expanded dramatically and became major employers for women, just as they had in the First World War. Although dominated by women a few men remained.

Arthur Bywater had tried to join the RAF at the beginning of the war but had been refused because of his expertise with ordnance. He was to rise to the occasion when an explosion killed one female worker early on the 22nd February 1944.

The citation for his award was remarkably brief, for reasons of wartime security, when little could be said about munitions factories:

The KING has been graciously pleased to award the GEORGE CROSS to: — Richard Arthur Samuel Bywater, Factory Development Officer, Ministry of Supply Factory.

For outstanding heroism and devotion to duty when an explosion occurred in a factory.

London Gazette 26th September 1944

The most complete account of this incident comes from his obituary:

On February 22 1944, in one of the buildings of the Royal Ordnance Factory at Kirby, in Lancashire, 19 operatives, most of them women, were at work on the last stage of filling anti-tank mine fuzes. Each operative was working on a tray of 25 fuzes, and in the building at the time there were some 12,000 stacked on portable tables, each holding 40 trays, or 1,000 fuzes.

At 8.30 am that morning, one fuze exploded, immediately detonating the whole tray. The girl working on that tray was killed outright and her body disintegrated; two girls standing behind her were partly shielded from the blast by her body, but both were seriously injured, one fatally. The factory was badly damaged: the roof was blown off, electric fittings were dangling precariously; and one of the walls was swaying in the breeze.

The superintendent arrived with Bywater, his factory development officer. It seemed quite likely that the damaged fuzes, and others which could be faulty, might cause an even larger explosion. The high wind at the time, or any vibration, could set off further detonations over an area of half a mile.

Bywater cleared the building so that the maintenance crew could shore up the walls. He then volunteered to take on the dangerous task of removing all the fuzes to a place of safety where they could be dealt with.

Having selected some volunteers, he started at once. Bywater and his colleagues worked for three days moving the fuzes to a position close to the exit and then transporting them to a site about a mile away, where they were destroyed. By the end they had removed 12,724 fuzes from the factory.

Bywater gave instructions that he was to be given any fuzes that looked defective, and 23 were passed to him. On each occasion, he made his colleagues take cover while he removed the fuze and put it into a tray well away from the others. He then placed the tray on a rubber-tyred flat trolley and, with one colleague carrying a red flag 50 yards ahead, and another 50 yards behind, he slowly pushed the trolley to the destroying grounds.

There he personally laid out the fuzes in specially prepared pits. He placed sandbags on each of the pits and connected the electrical detonator and gun cotton primer. Not until he was certain that the operation had been made as safe as possible did he delegate to his colleagues the task of destruction, which went on for seven days a week for a month.

One fuze, Bywater judged, was in such a sensitive condition that it was too dangerous to be carried to the destruction site. He knew of two instances in which men trying to handle such a fuze had been blown to pieces. But to destroy the fuze inside the factory would cause enormous damage.

Selecting a location a short distance from the building, Bywater had an iron safe placed there with plenty of sandbags around it. Then, having sent all his colleagues out of the danger area, he carefully picked up the fuze, tip-toed across the grass and gently placed it in the safe. The sandbags were piled on, everyone withdrew out of range and the fuze was detonated.

In the investigation that followed, it was discovered that the original explosion at the factory had been accidental, caused by a defective striker. A faulty design in the stamping machine which marked the fuze heads with the lot numbers and dates of filling had damaged the striker stems.

Read the full obituary at the Daily Telegraph which includes an account of how Bywater earnt a George Medal for his role in evacuating the factory following another explosion later in the year. Arthur Bryant became the only civilian to earn both the George Cross and the George Medal.

HM Queen Elizabeth is fitted with special shoes by a munitions worker before she can enter the ‘danger’ area of ROF Thorp Arch. The area of the factory where workers change from their outdoor clothes (the ‘dirty’ side) into their factory clothes and stepped across a low barrier onto the ‘clean’, factory, side is known as the ‘shifting house’. Strict rules were in operation on the ‘clean’ side due to the highly dangerous nature of work in filling factories.

HM King George VI talks to a munitions worker at her machine during a visit to ROF Thorp Arch.

A Royal visit to the Leyland Factory, England, UK, 1941

A munitions worker shows off the largest and smallest of shells produced at this British shell factory.

My father JACK SMITH tried to join the RAF prior to the war, because of his trade, heating engineer, he was redirected to Kirkby munitions factory. He served there as heating engineer until after the war and continued with Liverpool Corporation until his retirement. He had many friends who worked at the munitions factory, TOM CRITCHLEY fireman who I believe received an award for bravery.

My Mum worked at Lines munition factory during W.W. 11. it was based in Merton & was a toy factory before the war,she was Irene Louise Taylor, known as Rene, she decided to help with the war effort as her fiance was in the R.A.F.in the Middle East a wireless operator. when he returned after the war they married & she became Irene Louise Dove. I agree with others who have commented these people should be recognised with a medal & even though many have passed their family´s should receive a medal of recognition on their behalf.

Good evening. I’m hoping that one of you good people on this mite can help. A friend of mine’s dad, Mr Matthew GUY, was killed at ROF Kirby in 1944, the result of something going wrong. Can anybody shed any info on what happened? Him and I aren’t sure of which of the two blasts in 1944 did for him. It’d be nice to give him a little info, and closure on his Dad’s death which occurred when he was 4 years old.

My mother is now 94 years of age and worked in Munitions at Thorp Arch, Wetherby and has always said that she was disappointed especially when seeing the lack of representation of the munitions workers at the Remembrance Sunday Parade and that they never received any recognition for the work they did. This vital role has never been well publicised and it does seem rather unfair especially given the danger they faced every day. She is now in a nursing home as I am sure are most of those workers who are still with us. We cannot imagine what they must have lived through every day and some at at such a young age. It seems extremely sad that they have nothing in recognition of their efforts.

My Nan worked at the factory, Lily Bruce, Granddad was away at sea, I agree about the civilians who worked in these dangerous surroundings having their service recognised, by way of an award, as it seems they were in just as much danger as the soldiers

My Nan worked here during the WW2 years – she dropped a shell on her toe – luckily it didn’t explode but it put her little toe crossed over her next one all her life. She’s just passed away at 92. Born 1923, her name was Primrose Riley (nee Owens) and she preferred to be known as Rose. From the Scottie Road part of Liverpool.

I agree entirely,we live in a time that so many “aspire” to celebrity status for simply exposing themselves in the media for personal gain. They cannot hold a candle to our selfless relatives who stepped forward to serve their country unlike those migrants today who are not prepared to stay & protect their country,where is their patriotism or are they only concerned with their personal gain

My grandmother Lily Witt (nee Norris) was working at the factory during this explosion, she remembered it vividly as it was her birthday and she lost her dear friend as well as suffering an ulcerated leg which she was burdened with for 74 more years!

She died on 19/09/15 shortly after celebrating her 100th birthday surrounded by friends and family.

Hi my mum( nee Kathleen Elsley from Berkshire ) , now 91 , worked in ROF: factory no7 KIRBY. Mum inspected the naval ordanance (INO ) testing depth charges. Mum had been transferred from BURGHFIELD Berkshire-caps inspection & packing shells: with some sent to USA for testing . I would like to know more about the work outfits the girls wore and the name of the Burghfield factory. There were accidents and one girl my mum knew in detonator section was blinded in an explosion . Mum said the girls didn’t think about it being a hazardous occupation at the time – just wanted to ‘do their bit’ to help the war effort . The munitions factory girls ( and boys) vital role is not well publicised – perhaps there is a docu /drama in the making for T.V?

my grandfather wasn’t able to serve in the forces ww2 ,but worked in the victorian munitions factory .this work doesn’t qualify him for a civilian service medal!
Is there any type of recognition he would be aligable for ?

I think all war-time munition workers should be awarded a medal of some kind. Their jobs were as important and dangerous as a soldier’s job. In fact, every civilian who did any kind of ‘war work’ to help secure our freedom should be awarded a medal.

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Updated 75 years after the event…

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